The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-09-19

desk, h6 eho w WIS" s~'ou "
cssiop, / will direct your attention to
the twenty ninth verse, 10 the thirty.
third chapter OF the fifth book Of
Moses" Reading the txt With i'm
pressive slowness, he SPOKE without
man n script or notes: "We have met
here on this occasion, AZ Christian
patriots In common with 10000, 600
Of other devoted patriots, to celebrate
the centennial oil the Consti ution Of o II
grand ard common country. 1t 10 an
hour when every true man who loves
his country can we'll rj,ice, and
should exult with pride. In ell these
hundred years, with ell their viclssi.
tudes, their fortunes and misfortnnes,
We can recognis, the hand OF God,
How mercifully kind and exceedingly
good has he been TO this people.
Everyone with single spark Of man.
hood must feel thrilling emotions on
such an occasion, for where is the man
with soul so dead 10 himself who
hath not said, This In my
own, my ns,ivs land History
gives no record Of any land 30
blessed by the Lord Is this one, com
posed OF q heterogeneous MAS, includ.
ing every nation and every cline,
dwelling together In peace aud pros
perity. Surely we should Lift mp our
Te Deums TO him in most pvateful
than fulness aud obeissnce. i speak
II with pride, for there 10 no clergy
that has more especial oc-
caslou 10 be truly graft
fed than We Of the church.
God, In his kindness, had reserved
the blessed honor for ono Of our
church 10 bapuE, the FIRST infant AMI
consscrate the Hrst holy marriage on
this continent. Long before the May.
flower had ever gained these shores
the clergy OF our church bad made
their influence felt on American soil,
and 10 our clergy men was delegated
the honor 10 deliver the nrst prayer
In the OontinentGl Congress, to eend q
pslllion 70 the God Of all for the sue.
esss Of the deliberations Of the wisest
set Of Legislators ever assembled In the
causs Of human government, Of liber-
~ and freedom. Bishop White, one
Of the erandsst Of men, stood beside
the great and good Washington and
fervently prayed for the continuance
and success Of the government which
was then inauguratsd In old INDIE
pendencs Hall. Let us rejoice, for
God has been with and watched
over US all these long years.
This Is truly the greatest coun.
try, In many particulars, that
ever existed, Notwithstanding the
| angry storms which have beaten upon
us. Seven long years form independ.
encs from monarchy two more yeas
for the vindica,ion Of rights infringed;
In oil OF them uccsssful. God has
been the friend Of This people. And
then came the q eh strife, the great.
est In the Annals Of any country, that
iratricidal struggle, when seciioasl
hate and AMI osities long cherished
swept over us; when brother srrayed
In serried phalanx against brother
met Il fiery tide IL war and fought TO
the death. Bat sill, thank God, We
are today q united people. There was
a time when you and 1 believed that
the word nation should be spelled
only with q little n but that time
has parsed. That question Is ssttled.
Hereafter let II he our PRIDE 10 spell
Il with q big IN This Ia a nation,
and thank God for n.
Justice Miller, of tina Supreme Court,
made use Of one expression, which |
sm truly sorry hs ssw Ct TO do. He
said that eleven States OF the Union
had attempted 10 destroy the Constitu-
ton. l regret that he said 20. II 10
not true, and l protest aeainst the
charge. Az q con Of the South. o. one
who with my devoted countrymen
took part In that great contest, on
principle, and for what We believed 10
be oonscientlousiy right, I protest
against such Islander, 0i the people
OF the South, not . man In
those eleven States sought 10 destroy
the Constitution. II was q family
quarrel, q difference Of interprets-
ton OF that instrument which led 10
the conflict. The people 81 the Sjuth
were devoted and arc intensely dc
voted 10 the Constitution. They be.
lieve In strict aud fair construction
Of Il. IL Was for tina. which they
fought They did not seek 10 destroy
Il, aud no fair man who knows bis
tory can say they 10 desired. Bot
after all, that question II
settled. I for ons am thankful
tina, q Southern Confederscy VA
not established. I look int
the iaces OF men whom l knew ant
barred my life with In that grea, or
deal, and ask them, a. American citi
ssns. A. brave and true men, n they
too. are not clad Of thu failure Of fepl
ratio 2 With no apology for Whist hr
gone before, but with the broad, iai
lights before NJ, IL II no, better, IN
no, WISER, that ~ should have falle'
and that today se are united and 90
OO0, 600 stfsngf Yes, my friends, II
indeed. The var taught as q lels1n,
, fad but potent one. Looking back I
that century sgons, We can %
how dificult II vas 4
our forefa,hsn 10 device a.
complets an agreement which voul
form q more perfect union You ~
familiar with the long and angry dine
ences In that great assembly. Itwl
only through the personal appeals
Washington that thu dissenting Stat
. finally sooeded 10 the o1mpact. judi
! Ing from thai, We can well zee,
I the Oonieteraey had become al e
, tsblished factor, the discussions vito
would have arisen after the conf
among the States In secession an
the n saacings which would ha,
continually beset II vlthou
!. Bat, a. I have said, tina, difficult
has passed. God svertsd II. II
better, and ve should, with one q
cord, let our prayer 10 Him be: "A
patriots loving our country, LET /
!. have ono President, one navy, OF
b has, and 10 Vne people forever
!. There h no hate between the poop
In different sections OF this Republl
= They have differed, but that 10 b
, man. No people In all this land a
!. more devoted 10 the Constitution thl
d the brave and peerless men who wo
!, tho gray. Their presence In Il
II halls u Congress. In the Cabin
!, and In the lorelsn service; In Ia
,. evefy departmant of the eovernmel